Dr. Mary Dowd

Dr. Mary Dowd was a family doctor in Yarmouth, Maine, until she started working in primary care for prisoners at the Cumberland County Jail, where the majority of the inmates suffered from substance use disorders. Motivated to help others, Dr. Dowd left her family practice, and in 2008 became the medical director of the Detoxification Program at Milestone Foundation in Portland. Dr. Dowd also works for Catholic Charities in its substance use treatment program and at Discovery House in South Portland, a methadone clinic. Beyond treating clients who are going through withdrawal, Dr. Dowd believes in listening to people’s stories, and helping them connect with treatment and develop strategies to improve their lives. Dr. Dowd is also a published poet who has penned several op-eds for the Portland Press Herald.